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History of the Chinese and CCBA in Augusta

The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) of Augusta , Georgia (chartered in 1927), is one of the southeast’s oldest Asian organizations. The CCBA is a non-profit, non-political organization whose mission is to provide fellowship for our members and to promote public awareness of our Chinese culture and heritage.

The history of the Chinese in Augusta began in 1873 when an Indianapolis construction company contracted and brought to Augusta reportedly 200 Chinese laborers to widen and deepen the Augusta Canal . After the project’s completion in 1875, most of these men drifted off to work elsewhere; only a few remained in Augusta , opening grocery stores.  The 1880 Census reported 10 Chinese living in Augusta (of a total of 17 in Georgia ) and 8 Chinese grocery stores. By 1900, Augusta ’s Chinese population was 41 with 29 Chinese grocery stores and 8 laundries. Because of the Chinese Exclusion Acts which strictly regulated Chinese immigration (affecting women and children) to the United States , virtually no Chinese families in Augusta existed in those early years.

The nucleus of the present day community of CCBA families began around 1915 with the arrival of wives and families to Augusta .  From that point, Augusta ’s Chinese community began to grow. The 1940 Census reported a Chinese population of 224 and 63 grocery stores. However, starting in the 1950’s, the number of grocery stores began a slow, steady decline. Today, no Chinese operated stores are still in operation.

In 1927, 59 local Chinese men signed a petition to charter the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of Augusta. The Association met in several locations until 1939 when it acquired its present facility, a vacant Lutheran Church built in 1859. This facility became and remains today the hub and focus of the CCBA community.  Chinese school, banquets, weddings, and numerous events have been held in this building throughout the years.  The building has undergone numerous renovations and is continuously being renovated to meet the changing needs of the membership. 

The Chinese Sunday School at the First Baptist Church of Augusta is one of the oldest organized Chinese Sunday Schools in the nation. In 1885, First Baptist began a Chinese Sunday School to minister to the men living in Augusta . The Chinese Sunday School continues today, having served the Chinese community for over one hundred and twenty years. 

The original members of the CCBA were Cantonese and currently, most of the members remain so. Beginning in the 1970’s, Augusta began to see an influx of Chinese professionals who later formed the CSRA Chinese Association. This trend has accelerated in recent years because of the many Chinese students and faculty members at the Medical College of Georgia. There are now three Chinese associations in Augusta : the CCBA, the CSRA Chinese Association, and the MCG Chinese Students and Scholars Association.   Over the last few years, the 3 associations have worked together in hosting several joint social activities in addition to combining their talents and efforts to highlight China when it  was the featured country at the 2003 Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival.

In 2002, CCBA founded Children from China , a support group for the growing number of families in the Augusta area adopting children from China .

The CCBA maintains a website as a newsletter for the membership and a way to share information with the public.

CCBA Hall – A Grand Old Building

Do you ever look at our association hall and wonder about its history?  Do you realize that the building is over 100 years old?  Do you know that it was built as a church before the Civil War?

In February 1859 the St. Mathews German Lutheran Church was formed and purchased a lot at 548 Walker Street for $1200 to build a sanctuary. Construction began in July, 1859 and the church was built at a cost of $6800. There was no electricity at that time. Two large windows in front and eight large windows on the sides provided light and air. A parsonage was built to the left of the church in 1874. In 1893 a brick Sunday School building consisting of a large assembly room and a stage was added to the back of the church; in 1896 extensive renovations included an electric light system, hot water (radiators) heating system, cementing outside of building (scored to look like stone) and carpeting throughout. In 1902 a recess alcove and primary room and library were added to the Sunday School.

In 1921 Saint Mathews merged with Holy Trinity to form Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Resurrection; a new sanctuary was built  in 1926 on Greene Street. Over the next thirteen years, the Walker Street building was used by other churches and changed ownership several times. The CCBA bought the property in February 1939 for $1275. The parsonage was not included in the sale. 

There were extensive renovations  in 1953 and again in 1977. The Sunday School assembly room became our gym. During the last renovation, a new kitchen, bathrooms, front room carpet, and central heat and air were installed. The open balcony at the entrance of the church was enclosed. The large windows that provided air and light in both the front room and gym were blocked up. A modern kitchen was built in the area of the stage. Central air and heat replaced individual gas heaters and fans placed along the boundaries of the front room and gym. The high ceiling in the front room was lowered. The front room walls were paneled.    

The old church has slowly evolved into our modern day facility.  Generations of families have passed through these doors; may many more generations have the same opportunity.